Uses for Old Computers

[Too_Many_Tools]

I have a number of older rackmounted computers that I would like to use for CNC usage.

What are the requirements (CPU, MHz, HD size, video) that is needed for the popular types of software in use today?

Does anyone use rack mounted computers? If so, how do you have them set up in your shop environment?

Since I have a number of them, where should one draw the line as to what to keep and what to toss?

Is there anything one should salvage from the old computers before one scraps them?

Thanks

TMT

[sanddrag]

I believe Turbo CNC will rubn on anything higher than a 486 and it will fit on a DOS boot floppy too so you don't even need a hard drive.

[Halfnutz]

You can use the cases for power supplies, controls, connections. Youl need them if you put together a rack system.

[unterhaus]

supposedly you can run emc on a 500 mhz machine. Certainly turbocnc will use a machine that speed. Mach probably has a little bit higher requirements, don't remember right now.

I have some embedded 500 mhz machines at work, and it's an excercise in patience. I don't know how we did it in the old days of 8MHz machines -- now that I think of it, I remember when the AT was announced and one of the guys at work was drooling over the fact that it ran at 8 MHz.

Do you have industrial computers with backplanes? You probably can dump the backplanes and mobos on Ebay. I use rackmount a lot at work, but at home it takes up too much space.

[rippersoft]

AT power supplies can be daiseychained for 24 to 46 VDC output. If the power supplies are no good, open them up for the fans, heatsinks, and wiring.

RipperSoftware

[High Seas]

And the cases make nice boxes to mount the drives! You could use the racks to build a control kiosk for the entire setup too. Sounds like a great find!
Jim

[chojin]

Well, I had always invisioned having a laptop for CNC control.
However, if you are doing a DIY setup with a home-made table for the CNC machine(Im planning on doing a wood router) with a rack mount PC case, you could just mount the machine under the CNC table itself. You could turn your CNC table into a server rack.

Or, you could make a mobile stand for a PC, monitor and mouse.
Then you can move the PC control wherever you need it to be.



Your options are endless....

Most Server Rack machines do take up allot more space than a regular PC.
And, to properly mount them takes some sort of rail system which takes up more space.

I am leaning more twords a mobile setup like the picture above.

Or, you could always do one of these on a bench:

[Too_Many_Tools]

Thanks for the responses so far....but am I the only one with old computers looking for an use?

I would expect more suggestions and pictures of what others have done.

Also is there a list of the minimum requirements of the different CNC software needs?

Yes I know that manufacturers sometimes publish requirements but many times that is wishful thinking. What is the minimum computer platform that is needed?

Finally, has anyone built a rack system? Pictures please.

Thanks

TMT

[chojin]

You can use this as a cheap guide:

http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/11/h...ear-for-cheap/



You can use the principles from this to make any kind of rack you want to from just about anything.

[epineh]

Here is an old tower I converted to accommodate the electronics for my router, dont mind the missing constant current power supply, it wasn't finished at the time of taking the photo. I kept the old machine innards to possibly use as spare to run Turbocnc.

Russell.

[Too_Many_Tools]

Again thanks for the responses.

Would anyone who has used rack mounted computers in their home CNC setup please post a picture?

I would also like to hear of any issues you had to deal with when using rack mounted equipment?

Thanks

TMT